2000
#9,882
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,013
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.12
Rare Last name
Lamkin
Derived from a pet form of the medieval English name Lambert, meaning "bright land."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,312 Americans carry the last name Lamkin. That puts it at #10,591 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.97 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 103,489 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lamkin surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Lamkin with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.3K
1 in 103,489
Census rank
#10,591
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,888 bearers of the surname Lamkin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.97 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10591st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lamkin, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.2%. The next largest groups are Black (8.4%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lamkin
The surname Lamkin is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from the Old English words "lamb" and "kin" or "cyn," meaning "lamb" and "family" or "kin." This suggests the name initially referred to someone who was involved in raising or herding lambs, or perhaps a family known for their association with this occupation.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, which mentions a "Hugh Lambkin." The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also include references to individuals with the surname Lamkyn and Lamekin, indicating variations in spelling during that time.
The Lamkin surname has been traced back to various locations in England, including Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. It is believed to have originated as a locational surname, referring to individuals who hailed from specific places with names like Lamkin, Lambkin, or similar variations.
Historical records show that the Lamkin family had a presence in various parts of England throughout the centuries. In the 16th century, a notable figure was John Lamkin (c. 1520-1590), a wealthy merchant and alderman from the city of Bristol. Another prominent individual was Sir William Lamkin (1585-1659), a Member of Parliament and landowner from Gloucestershire.
During the 17th century, the Lamkin surname appeared in the parish records of several English counties, such as Wiltshire, Dorset, and Oxfordshire. One notable individual from this period was Edward Lamkin (1640-1718), a renowned clockmaker from London who made clocks for the British royal family.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Lamkin family continued to have a presence in various parts of England, with some members emigrating to other parts of the British Empire, including North America and Australia. One notable figure from this period was Sir John Lamkin (1765-1842), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.
Throughout its history, the Lamkin surname has been associated with various occupations, including farming, trade, and military service. While not a particularly common surname, it has left a lasting legacy in various parts of England and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lamkin
Among Census respondents with the surname Lamkin, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.2%. The next largest groups are Black (8.4%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Lamkin bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Lamkin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.2% · 2,403
- Black or African American8.4% · 242
- Two or more races4.4% · 126
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 86
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 16
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 15
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lamkin
Lamkin appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#10,701
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,987
-26 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 1.01
Rank movement Down 819 places
2020
#10,591
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,888
-99 bearers (-3.3%)
Per 100,000 0.97
Rank movement Up 110 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,882 | 3,013 | 1.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,701 | 2,987 | 1.01 | -26 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 819 places |
| 2020 | #10,591 | 2,888 | 0.97 | -99 bearers (-3.3%) | Up 110 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Lamkin surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,701 | #10,591 | 1.0% |
| Count | 2,987 | 2,888 | -3.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.01 | 0.97 | -4.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lamkin bearers went from 2,987 to 2,888 (-3.3% change). The surname moved up 110 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,701 to #10,591.
FAQ
Lamkin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lamkin?
Name Census estimates that about 3,312 living Americans carry the surname Lamkin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 103,489 residents.
How common is Lamkin?
Lamkin ranks #10,591 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.97 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,888 people with the surname Lamkin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,312), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.97 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.97 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Lamkin.
Has Lamkin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lamkin went from 2,987 recorded bearers to 2,888. That is a decrease of 99 (-3.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,701 to #10,591.
What does the Census say about the background of Lamkin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lamkin, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.2%. The next largest groups are Black (8.4%) and Two or More Races (4.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Lamkin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.2% (2,403 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lamkin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.2%), Black (8.4%), Two or More Races (4.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Lamkin (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Lamkin mean?
Derived from a pet form of the medieval English name Lambert, meaning "bright land." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Lamkin (0.97 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Lamkin?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.